1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to analytical devices and, in particular, to materials for use in manufacturing microfluidic analytical systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
In analytical devices based on fluid samples (i.e., fluidic analytical devices), the requisite fluid samples should be controlled with a high degree of accuracy and precision in order to obtain reliable analytical results. Such control is especially warranted with respect to “microfluidic” analytical devices that employ fluid samples of small volume, for example, 10 nanoliters to 10 microliters. In such microfluidic analytical devices, the fluid samples are typically contained and transported in microchannels with dimensions on the order of, for example, 10 micrometers to 500 micrometers.
The control (e.g., transportation, position detection, flow rate determination and/or volume determination) of small volume fluid samples within microchannels can be essential in the success of a variety of analytical procedures including the determination of glucose concentration in interstitial fluid (ISF) samples. For example, obtaining reliable results may require knowledge of fluid sample position in order to insure that a fluid sample has arrived at a detection area before analysis is commenced.
The relatively small size of the fluid samples and microchannels in microfluidic analytical devices can, however, render such control problematic. For example, microchannels and surrounding structures (e.g., substrate(s) and electrode(s)) can suffer from a lack of unified structural integrity such that the microchannels are not adequately liquid and/or air tight.
In addition, microfluidic analytical devices often employ electrodes for a variety of purposes including analyte determination and fluid sample control (e.g., fluid sample position detection and fluid sample transportation). However, the electrodes employed in microfluidic analytical devices are relatively small and can be fragile in nature. As a consequence, the electrodes are susceptible to incomplete or weak electrical contact resulting in the creation of spurious and/or deleterious signals during operation.
Still needed in the field, therefore, are materials that can be employed in the manufacturing of an analytical devices that provide for a robust and secure electrical connection to electrodes within the analytical devices. Moreover, the materials should provide for any microchannels within the analytical device to be essentially liquid and/or air tight.